BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 2522 By: Stiles April 25, 1995 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND In 1979, the 66th Legislature created the Law Enforcement and Custodial Officers Supplemental Retirement Fund (LECOSRF), which in conjunction with the Employees Retirement System (ERS) Fund, provides certain employees in law enforcement areas with enhanced retirement benefits. This program allows employees in hazardous occupations to retire earlier and to receive a higher annuity than other state employees. The Texas State Board of Pharmacy was authorized to commission employees as peace officers in 1981 pursuant to Article 4542a-1, Section 17(u), V.T.C.S.. However, because commissioned peace officers of the Texas State Board of Pharmacy are not included in the definition of law enforcement officers and custodial officers entitled to enhanced retirement benefits, they are not eligible. PURPOSE The bill broadens the definition of law enforcement officers eligible for enhanced retirement benefits to include commissioned peace officers employed by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 811.001(9), Government Code, to add to the definition of a law enforcement officer a member of the retirement system who has been commissioned by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. SECTION 2. Amends Section 814.104(b), Government Code, to add the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to the list of agencies from which an eligible peace officer may retire and receive a service retirement annuity. SECTION 3. Amends Section 815.505, Government Code, to add the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to the list of agencies required to certify to the retirement system the names of employees and the amount of service each employee performed as a law enforcement officer or custodial officer during that fiscal year. SECTION 4. Amends Section 27, Chapter 791, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, 1993 to add the State Board of Pharmacy to the list of agencies required to certify to the ERS the name of each person employed on Sept. 1, 1995 by that agency as a law enforcement officer or custodial officer as described. SECTION 5. Effective date, Sept. 1, 1995 SECTION 6. Emergency clause COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute bill is substantially the same as the originally filed bill. The difference is that the substitute bill is a Legislative Council draft and uses their wording and format. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION HB 2522 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on April 24, 1995. Rep. Stiles testified as the bill's author. The Committee considered a complete substitute for the bill. The substitute was adopted without objection. The bill was reported favorably as substituted with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed by a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv & 2 absent.